Abd Al-Ghani Al-Nabulusi
Islam and the Enlightenment

Often characterized solely as a Sufi saint, the thought and teachings of 'Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulusi were of a much wider remit. Through a fresh reading of his unpublished biographical sources and his unpublished works, the author examines his life and works, and argues that 'Abd al-Ghani helped herald the beginning of modernity in the Arab world.

In this unique look at a key figure in the Islamic enlightenment, Samer Akkach examines the life and works of 'Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulusi (1641-1731) of Damascus: a contemporary of many major thinkers, scientists, poets, and philosophers of the European Enlightenment. Often characterized solely as a Sufi saint, his thought and teachings were of a much wider remit. Through a fresh reading of his unpublished biographical sources and large body of mostly unpublished works, Akkach examines early expressions of rationalism among Arab and Turkish scholars, and argues that 'Abd al-Ghani helped herald the beginning of modernity in the Arab world.

Preface
Acknowledgements
Glossary
Abbreviations
Introduction
Unresolved Dilemma
ApproachPART I, His Life: A View from Within
Saintly Predictions
A Family with One Saint
Calculated Performance
Spiritual Call
On the Sufi Path
JourneysPART II, His Thought: A View from Without
Heavenly Inspirations, Rational Insights
Critical Attitude
The Treasures of HeritageFaith and Reason
The Science of Stars
The Pit of Misfortune
The Concealed Pearls
Enlightenment and the Primacy of Reason
Islam and the Continuity of Tradition
God in a Mechanical Universe
Rationalising Causality
Unity of Being
The Human Reality
Religion and Otherness
Islamic Extremism
The Truth and the Law
Transcendent Unity of Religions
Islam as Natural Faith
Language and Ethnicity
The Emergence of the Public
Engaging the Public
Unprecedented Exposure
Rational DisclosurePART III, His Legacy: A View from a Distance
Departing Damascus
An Advocate of TruthIndex 1: Biographical Sources
Selected Bibliography
List of Arabic and Ottoman Manuscripts Cited